


Lecture halls and Flirting Pitfalls

by DarkSideOfTheSpoon



Category: Anastasia - Flaherty/Ahrens/McNally
Genre: F/M, also anya bb please slep, anya is sleepy, don't make it awkward, gleb is a floppy teacher's assistant, gleb just ask her to get coffee
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-24
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2019-01-22 08:47:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12477796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkSideOfTheSpoon/pseuds/DarkSideOfTheSpoon
Summary: 8 A.M. courses are rough, especially when you have Dr. Gorlinsky. Luckily for Anya, or perhaps we should say awkwardly, some help is provided by Gleb, the teacher's assistant.





	Lecture halls and Flirting Pitfalls

**Author's Note:**

> hey this is a dumb au i thought up, its lighthearted, no angst i just want gleb to be happy for once

Anya trembles slightly as the door comes to a close behind her. The heavy wood clatters, blending in with the thunder outside. She quickly pulls the runner on her umbrella, shaking the rain off both it and herself like a wet dog as she stomps down the corridor to the lecture hall. Students shuffle in beside her, clutching thermoses full of espresso spiked coffee in preparation for the excruciating eight A.M. lecture and stretch as they peel off their coats. 

Hushed conversations die off and Anya glances back, climbing the steps to her usual seat near the top of the room. Dr. Gorlinsky had entered the room, a stuffed folder tucked under his elbow. He trails over to lectern at the front of the room, mindfully shuffling some of the documents left on it. Anya lets out a sigh-not a yawn as she settles into the seat and almost immediately feels her eyelids linger closed for too long. Her eyes snap open and she takes a long swig from her water bottle. 

The double doors to the hall open again and Gorlinsky's teacher's assistant, Gleb steps in, swiping his soaked hair back. Gorlinsky looks over towards him, lowering his eyebrows as he takes in his assistant's decidedly soggy appearance. The cheeky grin on his face fades into a serious nod as the professor holds the folder out to him, mouthing words Anya can't hear. Gleb grips the folder Gorlinsky points at it. She sees him mouth the word 'Essay' and a pit forms in her stomach.

She takes another gulp of the water and watches the folder as it starts heading up the steps. When it gets a few feet away, her eyes flick up to the person carrying it. The assistant's dark eyes glance down at her, the cheeky grin returning slightly. He has dimples, she noticed. A damp, slightly curling lock of hair falls into his face as he lifts his face back up. Anya looks towards the front of the room as Gorlinsky clears his throat, sounding through the boyband-esque mic

Gleb rubs his eyes and drops the folder of essays on the table in his cramped little corner at the top of the lecture hall. He dutifully begins to work, focusing on the words in an attempt to drown out Gorlinsky's droning. His red pen scratches at the pages and every now and then, he'd tilt his head and squint or silently chuckle. Neapolitan Bonaparte. Oh man. He blinks, rubbing his eyes again, several essays into the stack and allows himself a stretch. 

Tuning back into the lecture, Gleb strolls over to the railing. He leans on it, peering out onto the class below him. Phone screens flash here and there. Over in the corner, a student isn't even paying attention. What is that? Dexter, on his laptop screen? Everything makes sense now regarding Dmitry's essay grade. Gleb shakes his head and returns his attention to the lecture, crossing his arms. Somehow, this professor was capable of turning even the first world war, usually the beginning of the peak of everyone's interest in this course, into the blandest little molehill. Gorlinsky calls for a break, allowing students to go to the restroom.  

Pushing against the railing, he prepares to go back to his table before glancing down at the rows beneath him. A slumped over figure draws his attention. It's pretty commonplace to see a student holding up their head, nodding off but from where he was, this was a complete and total knockout it seemed. Gleb glances towards Gorlinsky to see if he's noticed. The ancient professor hadn't, he was already back at his podium staring at a book he brought with him. 

Hesitating, Gleb considers doing something he's never done before- interacting with the students. The professor wasn't a people person so he hadn't expected Gleb to be either. But he also knew that he was very easily offended, and if Gorlinsky knew that a student was passed out in his class...

Gleb clears his throat and steps around the railing into the aisle. A few strides later, he was next to the sleeping girl. He clears his throat again, glancing around. One or two students look up, but not the girl. After a moment of agonizing whether or not to reach out, he crouches slightly and nudges her shoulder. She jerks back, drawing her elbow to the side as if to punch. She drops her fist and pulls the strands of hair out of her face, gaping up at him. There's a hint of... Confusion and anxiety behind the exhaustion.

Gleb stares for a beat too long, even he himself felt the awkwardness before giving what he hoped was a warm smile and turning on his heel quickly. Making his way down the aisle, he gestures at a few other students, talking a bit too quickly. "Does anyone need any assistance? Everyone getting the hang of it?"

Not really waiting for the replies-not that he got any, Gleb didn't stop until he made his way out of the lecture hall.

* * *

 

The next time class met, Gleb was already at his post against the railing. This time he was halfway through a granola bar, trying his best to seem casual. 

As Anya made her way up the stairs, she tried not to seem intrigued by the fact that the teacher's assistant was nervously scarfing down a granola bar at the top of the room. She pulls her coat tighter, still pierced by the biting chill outside. Sniffing, she places her bag against the post and makes to settle into her seat.

"It's cold."

Anya glances up, bringing her eyebrows together. None of the students around her were looking in her direction. 

"Outside I mean."

 

She looks up at the assistant, who was enthusiastically smiling down at her from his place above her. 

"Yeah... I mean it's November." 

"Ah. Yeah. I suppose you're right." He looks away for a second, a self-pitying chuckle escaping. "But still." He faces her again, dramatically shivering. The smile returns, this time it's more self-aware. 

She slightly tilts her head, more confused than anything but laughs a bit despite this. Anya grips her jacket and makes a show of shivering as well before starting to return to her seat. 

At the front of the room, Gorlinsky enters the lecture hall. Gleb steps away from the railing to head over to his corner, but jerks, turning back when he remembers the entire reason for trying to chat. 

"Hey um." Gleb clears his throat.

Anya, in the middle of opening her notebook, glances back after a second, doing a double take when she sees him leaning over the rail. Raising her eyebrows, she shifts in her seat to face him. His hand, slightly outstretched to her, is wrapped around an unopened bottle. Light coffee sloshed around inside.

"One of the other assistants brought these to the break room. I um. I don't like it sweet." He stretches a little more, holding the coffee out. "Besides, I've already had my caffeine for the morning."

 

Anya doesn't even hesitate, immediately knowing this was about her nap the other day, quickly coughing out a "No thanks" before seeing the open, hopeful expression on his face falter slightly. 

"I-I'm sorry. I'll be fine." She presses her lips together in a weak smile and gestures to her water bottle. 

Interference from Gorlinsky's mic sends Gleb retreating backwards from the railing. "Understandable. I'm more of a tea man myself." He disappears to his corner. 

Anya turns back to the professor, sighing-not yawning as class begins. Several minutes pass and by the time Gorlinsky calls for the break halfway through lecture, she's already slumped over, asleep. Vaguely aware of a rise in volume in the room, she stretches, wiping her face. Sitting up, her notebook gets knocked off her desk and tumbles a few steps down. Someone practically jumps towards it before she even registers what happened and she's left dopily smiling up at the assistant. 

He sets the notebook and the bottle of coffee he offered at the beginning of class in front of her. Pausing to take in the scene for a few seconds, Gleb finally remembers to return the expression briefly before briskly turning away. He makes his way down the aisle, mentally kicking himself. His eyes close momentarily in frustration, snapping open when his shoe catches on the tread lining on a stair and he almost trips forward.

Overcompensating on pulling himself back up, Gleb stumbles backwards and straightens. He looks at the students near the walkway that stayed during the break nonchalantly. 

"Does anyone need any help with anything or have you guys got it?" He tugs on his jacket. 

The only response comes from the corner. 

"Looks like you're the one that needs help!" Gleb smiles humorlessly, slightly red in the face and heading for the door quickly as a few giggles emanate from the students.


End file.
